"Good morning! You two certainly had a night, didn't you?" Mariella's cheerful voice jolted me awake.
I was still sprawled on top of Damon, his warmth lingering against me, his cock still nestled within me. I had just drifted off to sleep, as I always do, feeling safe.
Damon, still half-asleep, mumbled, "Oh, great timing... morning."
Mariella yanked the curtains open, flooding the room with the pale November light. The snow outside intensified the brightness.
Burying my head in Damon's neck, I groaned, "Do I have to wake up?"
Mariella, ever the optimist, chirped, "Come on, you two! Up, up! We need to get ready for the gathering at the church. Everyone will be there, so our pack can make its first public appearance. I mean, who's staying home?"
I rolled off Damon as he gently pushed me away, giving me a quick kiss before getting out of bed. Mariella greeted him with a kiss of her own, pressing herself against him, seemingly unbothered by the lingering scent of our wild sex. Damon teleported with her somewhere else, leaving me groaning in bed, but not for long. The door opened, and May, Ashley, Britney, and Lepard entered.
Lepard announced, "Morning, pack leader. We're here to help you get ready. Up, go take a shower! We'll make the bed and choose your clothes. Then, we'll do your hair, and it's time for breakfast. The Salvatores are busy mapping the fireplaces and making warming plans, as well as preparing food. Today, we will also check who is whose protector."
I sat up, replying, "I am not a morning person, especially after being filled up by my husband in both holes and tortured throughout the night. I need time to recover."
Britney smiled and offered, "Shower or bath? I can help you; I've learned massage techniques to help your sore muscles."
I said, "A shower is fine for now, no massage needed. Maybe later in the week, as I'm usually sore after work."
I trudged into the shower, letting the hot water cascade over me, washing away the evidence and scents of our passionate night. A burning question consumed me: why had he been so intense? I lingered in the shower, wanting the moment to last. I was in no rush, and the thought of this family life, if this would be the new normal, with all the demands to do this or that, would surely be an adjustment. And what about when babies were born and grew into children?
I recalled the intimate moment with Damon, our son Apollo unwittingly witnessing it. I wondered how many times the children would hinder my sex life or witness something perhaps unsuitable for them, impacting their education. I knew I needed to start saving for their schooling, as education was expensive, and with five kids, the costs would be substantial. What schools would they attend? What kind of education would they receive? Would Damon and I argue about it?
I stopped myself from dwelling on these worries and tried to focus on the present. I had months before the babies arrived and years before I needed to choose their schools. There was no time to panic, but perhaps preparing would be wise. Should I discuss this with Damon, Wulfe, or Mariella? Would she have any insight into the educational needs? A vortex of worry kept on deepening in my mind as extra complications rose when my ever-neurotic mind found them.
A list of things to do flooded my mind. I forced myself to forget the complications and focus on getting ready. After a long, luxurious shower, I wrapped myself in a soft, oversized towel, wrung my hair, and stepped out of the bathroom.
To my surprise, Number Two, Three, Wulfe, and Leopard were cleaning and freshening up my bedroom. The bedding was changed, the mattress was new, and the pillows had fresh pillowcases, with new blankets. The window was slightly ajar, letting in cool winter air, which was quite pleasant.
I wasn't angry or surprised; I didn't view their actions as territorial, even though they could have been.
Number Two said calmly, "Keep your hair wrapped. Your clothes are ready behind the partition. Go and dress. We'll finish here, and then I'll put your hair up. After that, breakfast should be ready, and then we can leave for our public outing."
His tone was commanding, and I obeyed, even though I was the pack leader. There was nothing sinister in their actions; they were my husbands, my soulmates, and their actions were motivated by love, which took many forms in this pack.
I dressed in a tight satin shirt and a dark blue skirt, a heavy velvet one, and then a hand-knitted woolen jacket. I wondered who had knitted it, although I knew Damon could knit. Maybe he had bought it. As I put the outfit on, I saw the shoes: heels reserved for me, not for church, but for home.
My husbands enjoyed dressing me up, and since my extensive shoe collection had been depleted, they had bought these. They had given most of my chosen shoes away to my older children in the magic house. While there were some pairs I liked, I knew I had a warehouse full of shoe orders I could potentially unload after church. However, I didn't know what they had planned for the rest of the day, so I needed to keep my options open.
As I sat down and let Number Two style my hair, I let my mind wander, considering all sorts of scenarios and potential future problems.
Number two's voice, calm but sarcastic, broke through my thoughts. "Please, tell me, what is the meaning of this? Why are you doing this to yourself? You sound like a frantic chicken running with no head, but does it help? You haven't even developed a decent bump, and you're already worried about school. Adorable, truly, but what will be left of you when these are born?"
I sighed and pushed my anxieties away. "It just hits me," I said. "I've realized there's no saving the magic house, no giving up on them, and we have to do all this. I'm messed up by hormones, blood sugar issues, number one's behavior, and everything that's happened. Can we even do it? My neurotic mind finds this all too fun, and my worries, which I know are real, just..."
Number Two stated firmly, "Stop. Right now. I will... well, I've already linked your neurosis to Wulfe and Number One. They will help you by putting something in your mind. It's not the time to fall apart, especially not this early. We will do this, not because we have to, but because we can. You see, we will be a family, a pack, and you, my love, are not alone. Even if Number One is focused on Mariella's babies, the other nine of us are not that weak, despite how she ensnared us. I'm constantly working to get rid of her influence on me; it's like a sticky spiderweb, and it takes time. So, focus on the here and now. Just think of how those crones will see you with most of your husbands as family, and you'll introduce us all. Our town will see us; we are starting to be part of the community."
I nodded, feeling Wulfe and Number One inside my mind, literally blocking a significant part of my brain. It was almost like there was a sign: 'Work in Progress - No Access,' as they put something in my mind.
Sure, someone might have considered it invasive or violent, but for me, having telepaths, soulmates, literally protecting me from my neurosis was one of the biggest forms of love I knew. They kept me safe, from myself. There was irony in it, as I was most of the time a freaking hot mess, and they were there to help me.
As he finally finished my hair, it was time to go to breakfast.
Not that I was going to be able to eat that much, but Number Two said, "Number One has filled you up nicely. He also laced his bump with anti-nausea medication, an appetite stimulator, gastric protection, and a few other substances. You might wonder how in hell I know this; well, I did it to Mariella last night. She's filled to the brim, too, and made sure she can eat more than a cup of coffee. So, there's nothing to worry about; you will eat and be able to keep it down, as those little raspberries are sedated too and won't bother you too much."
His dominant tone revealed another lesson in Salvatore's extreme protectiveness. It irked me a little, but considering the half-day I spent feeling sick, perhaps this was a good thing. This behavior was new to me. Damon had acted this way before, but not to this extent. His previous attempts involved substances delivered with his fangs, a bite.
This was different: a concoction designed to ensure I ate. The bump itself was nourishing and full of calories, but the experience remained novel. I felt a little unsure, and the question "why?" resurfaced in my mind.
We finally reached the kitchen. I appreciated the cool, ocean-colored countertops made from blue quartz and the large table, crafted from oak or a similar wood, which gave the room a homey feeling. The rugs were not made of rags this time. They were soft cotton and not slippery, pleasant under my feet, even though I was still wearing heels from earlier. I had chosen most of the boucle rugs myself, and I found myself thinking lazily.
I remembered my human life, when we changed curtains with the seasons, for Christmas or spring and summer. But in my supernatural life, I never had the time or energy for that kind of rigmarole. Considering this was a huge mansion with multiple floors and over a hundred rooms, it wasn't feasible anyway, though we were a pack.
Still, I couldn't assume everyone wanted to change curtains just because it was summer or spring in every room, though I might do it in my bedroom or another room. These were random ideas as I sat down. I then noticed Damon was sitting next to me, even though it was actually Charles's place, but he was still working and not there, so the seat was free.
Mariella was also primped, though her expression remained doubtful. Despite her reservations, she had no choice but to start eating. First, I took small, bite-sized morsels: meat wrapped in more meat, and coffee in large cupfuls to be gulped down.
Mariella, however, was not given her pomegranate juice, but orange juice and chopped bananas, which she needed. The smell of the bananas reminded her of the vampire's heat, but it was for her own good.
The girls also had their hair done, and I suspected their clothes had also been chosen. They were beginning to learn just how dominant the Salvatores could be when they were in the mood. While it was all good and proper, I had to admit that a time might come when I would be more than pissed off by this overtaking, but that was in the future.
I could eat, with no nausea, and my stomach didn't revolt much. I could still feel Damon's slight tension as he sat next to me, eating his own breakfast but still watching over me. Number Two barely watched Mariella, but Four kept his eyes on her. I could see from his expression that he was Doctor Damon, not lover, not seducer, but in this mode, ruthless as he healed, and he did not ask permission, so Mariella was under control, as she should be.
Wulfe was sitting on the other side of me, still tinkering with something in my mind, stopping my neurosis. He kept his expression neutral, even though I could sense his true worry over me through our bond.
It was still so amazing to have him: a wizard vampire older than 2500 years, my soulmate, my other half. He was to me what Mariella was to Damon: my anchor, my shelter to lean on. I sometimes wondered how in hell I deserved him. I was a killer, a monster, a failure in so many aspects of my life, yet I felt I was blessed more than anyone in the world by having him, as well as the other men in my life. So, I guess I must have gotten something right.
We were seated in a church, neatly arranged in a row. Nearby, the crones had been watching us since we arrived. After the mass, it would be time for the meet-and-greet. The pastor was also looking at us, smiling, as we were new here. I felt a little mischievous, as I heard Mariella muttering again to number six, who was sitting next to her, about how wrong this all was, how they had gotten everything mixed up, causing the crones to turn and look at us.
I said to Damon via our bond, "Damon, could you possibly distract Mariella? Her little opinions are getting maybe a little too much attention, and I'm not looking for that kind of reputation."
His voice was amused, "What did you have in mind?"
I let him know, after all, I was a porn film director in my mind, and I thought little sensations might distract her. Damon just smirked. He was sitting next to me, Wulfe on the other side of him, and the leopard to my left. I could smell less than a minute of peach, meaning Damon was distracting Mariella, and as I glanced to my side, she was looking down, biting her lip, trying to suppress a moan.
The mass continued, with the priest giving the sermon, and we were singing hymns. Well, Mariella tried, but she was distracted and found it hard to keep herself under control. This wasn't the biggest church I had ever been to, but it was beautiful. The ornaments were made of leaf gold, and the paintings deciphered different parts of the Bible, with a big cross on the wall. It brought peace, not that I had traditional faith, but I did know God existed, and so on.
And my mind reeled into our night, as the priest was talking once again, reading parts of the Bible.
I asked via telepathy to Damon, "I am just, well, you don't have to answer if you don't want to, but why?"
He replied, "What do you mean, my Mimi? What, why?"
I remarked to him, "Why did you do it slowly, teasing me? I mean, it was wonderful; it was torture in the best form, but why, you don't really normally..."
"Mimi, my love," he replied, surprising me. "I did it for a few reasons. Ever since what happened, I've been weak, and a voice has nagged at me, asking, 'What if they were right? What if torture *was* the answer?' And I was scared. Firstly, if that were true, I'd gone way out of line, badly. Sure, my plan would have worked, but I would have used you more, tortured you, seduced you, instead of keeping you drugged in a cage. I guess I wanted to silence that voice, but all I did was prove it right. I'm sorry my plan went as badly as it could, but I also did it to prove to myself that I wasn't just a lust-driven beast, unable to seduce, torture, or enjoy your body before fucking your brains out; I wanted to test myself."
"So you were afraid I was right?" I responded. "Meaning my little theory of you not always being with me, but some version of you… Well, are you?"
He responded telepathically, "What do you think, my love? Do I have to show you that tonight, too? How are you going to go to work if I work you over all night long? Just think, baby: you're working, your pussy throbbing, remembering every thick inch of my monster cock or my lips on your clit, your breasts yearning for my bite as you try to make bouquets."
I swallowed, trying to focus. Here I was, Mimi Salvatore, alpha female, de facto leader of this pack, being seduced by my husband in a fucking church. Soon it would be time to sing the last hymn, then the mingling and chatting would begin. I was almost fantasizing about raping my husband, seeing so many nice little nooks and crannies in this church where I could make him take me. I let my idea bleed to Mariella, who raised her brow, but she, too, was getting inventive, and I managed to direct her to tease Damon. Meanwhile, I was trying to pull myself together, getting ready to be part of the community.
I began to understand there was more to Damon than I had initially thought. Surely, there was more to me as well. This yearning, this need to have him, was frightening. I didn't want to become a jealous, possessive person, but what if he needed that? What if he needed me to show him he was mine? What if an actual love triangle, jealousy, and possessiveness were the answers? But then again, was I becoming someone I wasn't simply because I assumed I had to?
It was Wulfe who spoke in my mind sarcastically, "You are impossible, you know that, my love. I just blocked your worries over education and the future, and here you are, starting to spin yet another knot in your mind about a relationship. Come on, relax, don't overthink things; let them happen. You feel what you feel, and that's it. There is no bigger prize out there for doing everything right, as there is no such thing as doing it right."
I replied, "You're right, I am spiraling. Maybe it's hormones, maybe it's the novelty of all of this, maybe it's Damon. Hell, I have no idea, and I'll try to focus on the here and now."
Wulfe said, "You better. I'm not listening to that shit any longer." And again, there was another block in my mind, stopping me from worrying or planning how to keep my relationship with Damon. It seemed I had no choice here.